It Will Always Be You
by JullietteO'Hara
Summary: Robin Hood's heart has been frozen by Elsa. Marian's kiss did not wake him up. Emma knows who can wake him up. Snow White knows who can wake him up. The entire town of Storybrooke knows who can wake him up. Regina still refuses to believe it could be her. Oneshot.


**A/N: So this is my first Once Upon a Time Fic. I wrote this during the hiatus between season 3 and 4 so it's pretty different from how the season actually went but I thought I'd post it anyway.**

His hands were cold. What were usually warm mittens she could intertwine her fingers with were as cold as the ice that was eating away at his heart. His face was pale, lacking any sign that his heart was fighting the foreign invader. And there were streaks of white in his hair. She couldn't help but smile at the picture she formed in her mind, the two of them walking together through the streets of Storybrooke, slowly because his knees can't take much anymore. His hair streaked with white while hers is still the same jet black hue. Their fingers intertwined in a similar fashion, his thumb brushing over her knuckles while he makes jokes that have her sides aching. Similar to the way they were before Marian returned.

_Marian._

Once the name popped into her head, she jumped up from her place on the floor and released her hold on his hand. He didn't move, completely unaware that she was there to begin with. She backed away from the small cot he was laying on in the middle of Snow White's apartment and moved to an empty seat at the counter to wait for the Savior's return with his wife. And it was a good thing too because just as she settled into the red barstool the door burst open and a distraught Marian ran to where her husband was lying, dying. Roland followed her in, oblivious to the peril his father was in, and Regina wanted to keep it that way. She quickly got up from her seat and hastened in front of the boy before he could see his hero in that vulnerable state.

"Gina!" Roland squealed, wrapping his arms around her legs and burying his face in her stomach.

"Hi, Buddy. How have you been? I haven't seen you in so long."

"It's been _forever_, Gina. I'm nearly five now."

_"_No," Regina replied jokingly. "That can't be right. The last time I saw you, you were only four and a half."

"I told you, it's been forever!"

"Well then why don't we have a nice hot chocolate to catch up while we let your Mama talk with Emma?" Regina looked up to see the blonde in question watching her from inside the door frame, guilt in her eyes.

"Okay!" Roland responded excitedly, taking Regina's hand and leading her into the kitchen. She lifted him onto one of the stools so his back was to where his father lay and moved to the other side of the island and got two mugs out of the counter. She quickly made two cups of hot chocolate, while Roland chattered away about everything since his mother returned. Regina could feel Marian's eyes on her but she refused to look away from the boy. She was happy for him, of course. It was good that he had a mother, but deep down in her heart, in the part that she'd been trying to conceal with darkness, she wished it had been her.

Regina focused on Roland but couldn't help catching bits and pieces of the conversation between the other two in the room. It mostly consisted of Marian asking questions that Emma had no idea what the answer would be. When Roland stopped talking to take a sip of hot chocolate Regina flicked her eyes over to where they were.

Emma was standing near Marian, who was kneeling next to her husband. Regina could only make out her profile but the tears sliding down her cheeks were noticeable.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Marian was becoming more and more frustrated with every answer Emma didn't have. "How can you not know where she is? What if she comes back to finish off the rest of our family?"

"I'm not going to let that happen," Emma said sternly.

"How can you be so sure? I'm mean look at what happened to Robin. He was supposed to be safe and now he's dying and there's nothing I can do to save him."

"Think again, dearie," a Scottish voice announced. Emma, Regina and Marian turned to see Mr. Gold standing in the doorway, his gold tipped cane in his hand and Belle at his side. Now that they were married it was near impossible to separate them. "During my time as the Dark One, I encountered many forms of magic but none as unpredictable as ice magic. If Robin had been struck in the head or any other part of his body, it would be easy to fix...but his heart...now that's a different story. Only an act of true love can thaw a frozen heart."

Regina felt her heart nearly fly out of her chest. She knew she and Robin were soul mates but is that the same thing as true love? Her eyes turned from the group in the living room to the boy in front of her. Roland looked up at her with misty eyes and tears threatening to spill over.

"Roland, sweetie, what's wrong?"

"What happened to Papa?" he whimpered.

"Come 'ere." Regina picked Roland off the barstool and carried him upstairs, none of the others in the apartment noticed. He was heavier than the last time she carried him but he still wasn't heavy. They climbed the stairs and went into the room where Henry slept when he stayed with them. Regina sat Roland down on the bed and took the space next to him.

"Roland," she started. "I have a story for you about your Papa."

The little boy looked at her with expectant eyes.

"Well, as you know, your Papa is a very brave and selfless man." Roland nodded. "When we were battling Elsa, she heard a noise and got very scared. She accidentally shot ice from her hands and it nearly hit me but your Papa jumped in front of me."

"He saved you?"

"Yes, he saved me. Just like he would have saved you or your mama. He didn't hesitate, which may have been silly of him because I'm sure you'd like it better if he was here."

"No," Roland whispered. "I'm glad you're here. I just wish you_ and_ Papa were here, together. Like before Mama came back."

"Don't you love your Mama?"

"Yeah but she and Papa yell a lot. When you were with Papa he never yelled. He always was smiling and laughing." Regina smiled fondly at the memory.

"Well I haven't smiled much either so I guess we're even."

"Regina!" Emma's voice sounded from down the stairs.

"Stay here buddy," Regina whispered to Roland, ruffling his hair. "What do you need, Swan?"

"Can you bring Roland down here? Gold said that 'True Love's Kiss' can thaw a frozen heart and Marian's kiss didn't work. We are hoping Roland's kiss can unfreeze Robin." Regina could see the guilt in Emma's eyes even from the top of the stairs when she said Marian's kiss didn't work. And Emma knew Roland's kiss wouldn't work either but she wasn't going to say anything until they tried.

Regina could hear her heart pounding in her chest when she heard Marian's kiss didn't work. That meant that she wasn't Robin Hoods true love and he meant what he said when he'd told Regina his feelings for her were real.

"I'll be right there," Regina replied calmly, despite the racing of her pulse. She went back into Henry's room where Roland was curled up in a ball on the bed, awaiting her return. His big brown eyes looked up at her in anticipation.

"Is Papa awake?" he asked excitedly.

"No, I'm afraid he's not but how would you like to wake him up?" Roland nodded excitedly. "Okay, come with me." Regina held out her arms and Roland wrapped his skinny arms around her neck, dangling like a monkey. She carried him downstairs that way, not before spinning him a few times just to hear him laugh. He was still laughing as they descended the stairs. Regina caught Marian's tearstained face, eyeing her with resentment. Regina put Roland down next to his father, whose face was paling by the second.

"Roland," Rumpelstiltskin started. "To wake your father up, you need to give him a kiss. Think of all of the reasons why you love your papa and then kiss him."

Roland looked up at him, his eyes wide and his head nodding as Rumple spoke. When Rumple finished Roland squeezed his eyes shut in concentration. A small chuckle arose from the adults in the room, all except Regina. She was just as focused as the boy, holding her breath and wringing her hands. Roland relaxed his face and moved his face next to his fathers. The boy planted a sloppy, wet kiss on Robin Hood's cheek. Roland pulled back and waited eagerly.

There was silence as everyone waited for Robin to show some sign of life. Nothing happened. He didn't move, he didn't flinch, and his eyes didn't flutter. Roland kissed him again. And again, nothing. The boy's eyes started to well.

"Gina?" he whimpered. Marian started to move to Roland but he didn't go to her. "Gina!"

Regina snapped out of her trance and went to Roland. He buried his face in her stomach and he picked him up, so he could cry in her shoulder. She could feel Marian's hatred piercing through her jacket.

"Why didn't it work?" he cried. "I love Papa."

"I know you do, Roland. And your Mama loves your Papa but sometimes magic can be tricky. Who we think can wake them up might not always be the case. It takes a special kind of love to break a curse."

"You love Papa, why don't you kiss him?" he asked so innocently, with no idea about how it shattered Regina's heart. She heard Marian's quiet gasp but before Marian could protest, Regina answered.

"Yes, I do love your papa, but he doesn't love me back so it wouldn't work." Saying those words broke Regina's heart but she knew they needed to be said.

"But Papa does love you!" Roland exclaimed. "Before Mama came back he talked about you all the time."

"But people change," Regina replied. "He chose to be with your Mama, he loves her more than me."

"No he doesn't," Marian said. At the sound of her voice Regina jumped. "He has just been being a gentleman and honoring our vows but I can tell. He hasn't been the same since I've returned and I am assuming it's because of you." Marian spoke decidedly. She knew, even though she had been trying to push those thoughts out of her mind that her husband was in love with another.

"Kiss him, Regina," Snow and Emma said in unison.

"Kiss him, Gina," Roland whispered in her ear. Regina chuckled at the boy as she sat him down. Before moving towards Robin, Regina walked over to Marian and took the woman's hands.

"I am so sorry," the formerly evil queen said, looking into the eyes of the woman she almost killed. Tears trickled down Marian's cheeks.

"I understand," Marian choked out. Regina didn't believe it but she released Marian's eyes and moved to her 'soul mate'.

She placed a gentle hand on Robin's frozen chest. He was colder than before, his lips a dark shade of blue, and his hair completely white. She ran her fingers through his hair. Even that was cold.

"You have too many things to live for to die on us now, Robin of Locksley," she whispered only loud enough for him to hear before bringing her lips to his. A pulse of light magic shot through them both and heat began radiating off of Robin Hood. Regina pulled away and looked at the face before her. His color slowly returned and his hair changed from stark white to its normal light brown color.

"Papa!" Roland squealed, running to them. He threw his arms around Regina and she picked him up to see his father. Robin's eyes slowly opened to see Regina holding his son in her arms, a huge smile plastered on both of their faces. He could have asked for a better sight to wake up to, completely forgetting about Marian. Slowly he sat up.

"My boy," Robin croaked his throat dry and scratchy. "Was it you who saved me?"

"No Papa! Gina saved you," Roland admitted happily. Robin looked to the woman holding his son, complete adoration covering his face.

"I knew it was you." Regina shrugged, attempting to be nonchalant but the way she was beaming and the small giggle gave her excitement away. Robin Hood opened his arms for a hug. Regina put Roland in his lap and the boys arms flew around his father.

"Both of you," Robin said, enveloping Regina and Roland in his embrace. Regina closed her eyes and buried her face in his neck, inhaling. He smelled like forest and she couldn't help but smile.

A small cough interrupted their moment.

Regina followed Robin's eyes to Emma who had coughed and then watched as guilt immediately spread over his face when he locked gazes with Marian.

He untangled himself from Roland and brought his lips to Regina's ear.

"Wait a moment, please."

Regina nodded, trying to calm the shivers his voice sent down her spine. He stood up and moved to his wife. Regina couldn't help but grimace as Robin took Marian's hand and led her into the kitchen. Roland moved to follow them but was stopped by Belle who nudged Gold who pulled out a toy car from his jacket pocket and handed it to Roland who immediately forgot about his parents in the next room and was too distracted by Belle and his new toy. Husband and wife moved to a corner of the room where Regina had to crane her neck to see them but she restrained. She didn't want the Not-So-Charming's to see how desperate she truly was. Emma moved over to where Regina was seated while her parents fussed with baby Neal.

"Hey," Emma said.

"Hey," Regina replied.

"You did well, you know." Regina eyed her quizzically.

"Thanks."

"I'm just saying." Emma raised her hands up in defense. "And Regina, I really am sorry about the whole Marian situation. You know I can't apologize for saving a life but I can say I am sorry for the hurt it caused you." Regina nodded. "But hey, it looks like things are working out for the better now," Emma said winking.

"Yeah, maybe for once I'll-" Regina stopped short. She'd turned her head just enough to see Robin pull Marian into his arms. Her face immediately dropped. The small smile she'd allowed herself to form, the hope that so foolishly built up inside her, all gone. Emma noted Regina's change in demeanor and followed her line of sight so, she too, could see Robin embracing his wife.

"Regina, you don't know what that means," Emma started but Regina was up and already moving out of the loft.

When Robin looked up, the door had already closed forcefully behind Regina. He moved out of Marian's arms and once he saw the look on Emma's face, he knew. He ran out of the loft and down the stairs where he caught Regina on the steps outside of the building.

"Where are you going?" he asked breathless.

"I just needed some air," she lied, willing the tears that were forming in her eyes to cease.

"But you didn't give me the chance to speak with you."

"It's alright Robin. I understand. Our children come first. Roland needs his mother."

"Yes he does," Robin agreed, "which is why we will make sure she will still be a part of his life even though she is not living with us."

Regina looked up confused.

"What?"

"Regina, I'm choosing you."

"You are?"

"Yes. Now and forever, it will always be you."


End file.
